Nidia Martinez and other members of Mariachi Fiesta brought some life, color and music to the Capitol Rotunda Saturday in Santa Fe. Robert Nott/The New Mexican

 

 

Days left in session: 6

 

Film cap increases: The Senate Corporations and Transportation Committee unanimously approved a bill that would raise New Mexico’s annual cap on tax rebates for film production companies that shoot in the state to $110 million from $50 million.

 

Filmmakers can qualify for 25 percent tax rebates on qualified expenses for projects shot in New Mexico. Television production companies that bring long-term series to the state can receive rebates of 30 percent. These tax credits are paid by the state in varying formulas, and production companies often have to wait several years to be paid because of the growing backlog.

 

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has voiced her support for removing the cap, saying it would attract more filmmakers to the state. But lawmakers working on the bill agreed to a compromise that would simply raise the $50 million roof.

 

Senate Bill 2 next goes to the Senate Finance Committee for consideration.

 

Gem on the Rio Grande: The Senate voted 37-0 on Saturday for a bill making the Los Luceros historic ranch the state government’s ninth historic site under supervision of the Museum of New Mexico.

 

The measure, House Bill 692, was sponsored by Rep. Jim Trujillo, D-Santa Fe. It now goes to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for her consideration.

 

Los Luceros is a 148-acre property north of Española, along the Rio Grande. It includes a 5,700-square-foot adobe home from the 18th century that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

The state Department of Cultural Affairs has owned Los Luceros since 2008.

 

More history: Senators also approved an advisory measure requesting establishment of an American Civil War Memorial for the Glorieta Pass battle site. The measure carried 36-0.

 

The battle took place from March 26-28, 1862. Glorieta Pass became a turning point in the war. Union soldiers turned back the Confederate Army and forced it to retreat to San Antonio, Texas.

 

Senate Joint Memorial 5 was introduced by Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque, who has an abiding interest in the history of the battle.

 

Branching out: The House Appropriations and Finance Committee on Saturday unanimously approved a bill that would give Northern New Mexico College, anchored in Española, a chance to open a branch campus in El Rito.

 

El Rito is where the school started well over a century ago. Senate Bill 431 next goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.

 

No appropriation is attached to the bill. It would allow the college do draw on higher education funding to start some vocational programs at the El Rito campus, which has been vacant for about five years.

 

College President Rick Bailey often has said he wants to revive the El Rito campus. He told lawmakers the college wants to begin offering plumbing, pipe-fitting and electrician classes there.

 

“That’s where the job demand is in the region,” Bailey said.

 

Mariachi madness: Weekends at the Capitol can be more sedate than weekdays, but Mariachi Fiesta brought some life, color and music to the Rotunda on Saturday. It entertained dozens who gathered around in chairs to listen.

 

Nidia Martinez, head of the group, said, “Mariachi is very peppy music, very exciting music. But at the same time, it can involve other types of music — even classical.”

 

Among her four-person ensemble was guitarist Richard Madrid, who said his nickname is P-Nuts.

 

Quotes of the day: “One less hour? Good. That’s one less hour of debate.” — A House of Representatives staffer, upon learning that New Mexicans had to turn their clocks ahead an hour either Saturday night or Sunday morning.

 

“If we save one cow, we’re doing our job.” — Rep. Martin Zamora, R-Clovis, during a debate punctuated by cow jokes regarding Senate Bill 121, which would ensure that anyone who owns a cow that wanders onto the road and causes an accident would not be held liable unless “gross negligence” was involved. The House voted 56-4 to support the legislation, which next goes to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for consideration.